Amethyst Moonrise
by echosong258
Summary: AU. Despite her curiosity, Rachel never expected to actually meet the boy who watched as she discovered her mantra for the first time. In him she finds a friend unlike the others she's had and discovers new, exciting and terrifying things along with the fact that he became her inspiration without either of them knowing.
1. A Remarkable Encounter

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.  
Hey everyone! It's been a while! But I was working on a few things, this fic being one of them.  
Greetings to all those who are currently following me and perhaps will follow me, I enjoy Constrictive Criticism. That means no kicking me in the shins, tying me up and taking away my laptop. Help me become a better writer! Cuz I enjoy writing a good story just as much as I love reading a well-written one.  
On another note, I hope you like this! :D**

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_Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears._

_~Edgar Allan Poe  
_

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The first time he ever saw her had been an accident. Well, that's what anyone else would've said had he told them. Back when he thought about it often, while the memory was still at the front of his mind, Garfield Logan had believed it had something to do with the penny he had found earlier in the day (Rita had said something about finding a penny being good luck), because he had gotten lost when he heard the music _and_ he had been the only one to hear her. He knew part of the reason was because no one went to school during summer vacation, and he was aware that he hadn't meant to find her _and_ that he had just passed by at the right time, but he just _knew_ it wasn't a coincidence.

Garfield was eight years old when he left Africa with his new adoptive parents to the States and they, along with the school itself, had decided taking a tour of his new Elementary School a week before it began was the best way to introduce public school. The young boy had practically jumped off the walls of his home when the day finally arrived. His real parents had taught him how to read a little before the accident, and he had made many friends in the nearby village, but everything seemed very different from what he had grown up with. Still, since his real parents jobs often involved them moving around often, he hadn't gotten the chance to go to school with other kids. So Garfield openly embraced the new experience and felt excited at all the new things he saw.

The halls were covered in pictures and paintings by all the other kids who went to the school and they had a _huge_ playground with all the toys his real parents used to tell him about. The school secretary explained the different subjects he'd learn and showed him his classroom where he found a bunch of desks for each student along with one for him which, and since it was close to the window it made it the best because he could see the playground from where he would sit. After the tour, which was too short in his opinion since they had only walked to his classroom and the library, the secretary had Steve and Rita fill out some last-minute paperwork for him to start in the fall.

After a while, he had gotten bored and snuck away to find the playground again, only to find all the doors locked. Eventually he gave up trying to get outside and simply wandered around the halls looking for a _different_ way back to the Office since he _wasn't_ lost. Garfield often remembered how his dad used to praise him for his naturally sharp hearing, so it was no surprise that when he passed a certain part of the halls he caught a faint yet somewhat sad melody echoing in the air. What surprised him was the fact it was even there; no one, aside from certain grown-ups who came to the school during summer vacation, were allowed in the building. Nevertheless, Gar felt himself drawn to it; feeling as if the music was calling to him, reaching deep inside him in a way that was sad yet comforting. He remembered his mother had sometimes listened to music that sounded like the melody, and the instrument it came from was one of his favorites, so just like any curious child Gar followed the tune.

The place the music was coming from was farther into the school than he had ventured during the tour, but Garfield was determined to find the person who seemed to transfer their sadness into each note that rang out. Suddenly, the song became so absolutely tragic and mournful it brought back memories that tore at his heart and threatened to break him. Taking off towards the sound, Garfield pushed his feelings aside and focused on finding the room. It wasn't long before the melody changed once again; this time sounding hopeful and reassuring as if the person had managed to find encouragement and bring it to life through the song as he reached another hall that seemed promising.

Garfield slowed his pace and began creeping towards the open door, almost afraid to ruin the now uplifting tune, before poking his head into the room. A girl who looked about the age as him stood in the center of the room with her eyes closed and her body slightly turned away from him. She wore black leggings, and a long deep-blue sweater that was slightly too big for her with a black bird on it and blue flats. Her pale skin emphasized by her midnight-black hair and she stood with smooth elegance yet shy confidence that she just seemed to radiate naturally.

After a moment, Gar realized _she_ was the one creating the music that had called out to his soul and brought him to her. The instrument beneath her expert hands (because there was no way an average person made music sound like _that_) had a polished frame and elegant design that not only seemed perfect for her; but actually _reflected _her. Garfield watched, completely hypnotized, as her fingers and hands moved and created each note with a grace that almost seemed unnatural; it was as if she pulled the melody from her very being and poured it into the instrument to give it life and energy. Gar had never seen a girl like her before; a girl who held a quiet charm while she let her emotions spill and flow through the music she created. She was absolutely beautiful, in every sense of the word.

An eternity passed by before the song began to slow and reach its end, yet the girl never noticed him in the doorway; both completely lost in the spellbinding tune. The music his mother used to listen to was nice and full of different sounds from different instruments, but it was nothing compared to what this girl created; because she created magic, in its purest and strongest form.

It was the first and last time he ever saw her. Just as the last note faded, a piercing shout reached his ears and Garfield turned to find his parents, along with the school secretary, rushing towards him. He had barely glanced at them before turning back to the music room to find it empty, the instrument abandoned and lonely. Garfield had searched the room in a panicked frenzy for her till his parents managed to convince him to leave, and he kept up his search throughout the school year but none of the girls who played an instrument looked like her and no one, not even the teachers, knew of the girl he described to them.

As the years passed the music and image of her faded little by little before the memory finally retreated to the farthest corner of his mind, yet because it was still there and because part of him held it dear to his heart, Gar secretly hoped that he would find her again. Because deep in his spirit, he refused to believe he had lost the opportunity of meeting her before ever having it.

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The only thing she vividly remembered about the child was how his blonde hair contrasted with his burgundy-purple shirt. It wasn't that she hadn't cared to find out who he was, since she used to wonder what would've happened if she had stayed, but the fear of being discovered had driven Rachel Roth* from the room the moment she heard the voices that had called for him. She knew sneaking into the school when she wasn't supposed to was wrong, and that if her father found out it was possible he'd take her away from her nana, but the feeling Rachel had gotten when she had found the music room had overwhelmed her, and she had lost herself to the sensation.

Her mother often said music was a blissful way to tell radiant, poetic things when words failed. That it gave soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, charm to life and a brightness to everything around them. That it had the power to inspire, heal, calm and enchant. A complete contrast to her father who said music was a cruel sort of beauty; that it held the exquisite loneliness of pain, the magnificence of disappointment and never-satisfied want. That it was nothing more than majestic sadness and the pleasure of tragedy. Yet when Rachel realized the joys of music, it became an escape and an expression.

Rachel had discovered her talent for music at the tender age of five when her nana, Azara**, had taken her to watch one of her mother's practices once again, which she appreciated yet tried to avoid going as much as possible for reasons unknown to anyone else other than Azara. Rachel had gotten curious when she found an empty room full of different instruments and, despite the instrument being too big for her, began playing the one that had held her interest since the first concert her nana had ever taken her to. By the time Azara found her, young Rachel was playing the slightly more complex pieces of her mother's favorite song, which wasn't surprising considering the young girl was the daughter of Angela Roth, a well-known pianist and musical composer.

Rachel was aware that her talented mother was friends with the best musical instructors in the city (along with a few she had met on tours), that she had the best possibilities for the finest education in music anyone could hope for and a father who had more than enough financial resources to pay for her lessons if (for whatever reason) her mother was unable to, yet she insisted on not telling either of her parents about her newly discovered talent. Azara only asked for an explanation once before never bringing up the subject again, and Rachel was more than thankful that Azara not only understood her, but was also willing to instruct her. Music was different from anything else she had experienced and Rachel refused to accept another detached, condescending and unfriendly teacher like all the other ones in an area she enjoyed along with parents who she knew would disapprove of her secret passion for their own personal reasons.

Rachel's father, the well-known business man Tristan*** Roth, had insisted on starting her education when she was four; bringing in the most recommended tutors and professors to prepare her as his heiress and live up to the reputation both he and his wife held. Because of that, Rachel often spent her days in studying subject after subject in her apartment (although it was really Azara's), while her father took care of the company and her mother practiced and performed, both of them only checking on her once in a while when they found the time. Not that she minded _too_ much; in a surprising show of maturity for her young age, Rachel had accepted the opinions each of her parents held for her as soon as her nana explained it to her. Although part of her longed for the caring, supportive parent-child relationship she had heard other children speak of.

Because of that, Azara was a comfort in Rachel's life; raising her like a daughter while encouraging a simple and independent lifestyle since Azara knew she wouldn't live long enough to see Rachel enter adulthood. The young girl knew both of her parents had more than enough to afford an extravagant apartment with equally extravagant things for her, and her father occasionally insisted on having her live in his mansion, but Rachel _liked_ the way Azara lived; down-to-earth, independent and just overall sensible. She was more than glad her nana had convinced her father to let the young girl live the way she did.

When Rachel wasn't studying, the two spent their free time meditating, practicing, reading (the young girl held a deep fascination with books about myths and legends from other countries), or Rachel snuck off and sat on the apartment balcony for as long as she could. Since they lived near an elementary school, Rachel often saw children passing by the apartment, along with them on the school playground, and secretly wondered what it was like being in a class with other children. Making new friends wasn't her forte, and having famous/important parents didn't help since the few kids she had tried talking to at her father's company either snubbed or feared her because she was a Roth.

So it wasn't a surprise that after three years of watching the school and the children that went there, she snuck out of the apartment to wander the grounds. Surprisingly, Rachel discovered an unlocked door that lead to an office connected to the room that filled her eight year old heart with excitement and wonder but also with sorrow and disappointment. The music room had a row of five keyboards lined up against one of the walls and the cabinets beside them held flutes, violins, trumpets, clarinets and many other instruments protected by a plastic casing, probably to keep the students from 'borrowing' without permission. Rachel gave a small, longing sigh when she noticed the chairs and stands for music sheets against another wall, as if someone wanted to give the illusion of a miniature concert hall to the children when they practiced.

To her amazement, and relief, Rachel noticed her favorite instrument in the center of the room and gazed at it with a fondness she rarely expressed before positioning her hands and shutting her eyes, setting her feelings free through the music. Rachel lost herself in the melody while her hands and fingers danced as she played a song hidden deep within her soul and she flew towards the heavens with the high notes and reached for the farthest depths with the low ones.

She had never tried composing before, but Rachel could feel the music she brought forth cleansing her; releasing the storm that had brewed in her mind when she entered the room. It was her own song, her own story. And when she felt the melody shift once more, the music became a mantra that calmed her spirit and soothed her soul. A loud commotion from the hallway tore Rachel from her haven as the last note rang out, and fear instantly gripped her heart when she realized she wasn't alone. Rachel only had time to notice that the person in doorway was a blonde-haired boy before she abandoned the instrument and fled from the room, finally stopping once she reached the apartment.

A week later Rachel and Azara left to travel with Angela on another tour and as the years passed, the memory of the little boy faded along with the curiosity of who he was and if she'd ever find him. But the world worked in mysterious ways, and although she never expected it, the events in her life allowed Rachel to cross paths with the very boy who watched her discover her mantra once more.

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***In the comics, Rachel Roth is not Raven's real name; it's just the alias she chose for herself when she decided to enroll in school since she couldn't enroll with just her real/superhero name "Raven".  
**Azar is Persian for "scarlet" and Azara is the same. I wanted something to be similar yet sound relatively normal.  
***Tristan means "tumult" in French. And that word means violent, uproar and noisy commotion.  
The Cover Photo… took **_**forever**_** to perfect. And I STILL work on it from time to time.  
I rewrote this chapter too many times to count. I hadn't actually planned on having no dialogue when I was fixing it for the umpteenth time, but when I was halfway thru I was like wow… and left it at that.  
Anyways, tell me what you think so far! Read and Review (I like reviews haha) and remember Constructive Criticism only.  
Take Care!**


	2. And it Begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.  
Lately, I've been into reading Life with Derek Fanfics when I actually get the computer (I should consider getting a smart phone), I guess I tend to avoid the ones in the category I'm writing about...  
Anyways, I changed the Summary since I haven't gotten many views and I blame the overly poetic Summary that I never liked it to begin with. So that's why.  
On another note, thanks for the Reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
**

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_Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities._

_~William Throsby Bridges _

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"_Hello? Helloooooo?" _

_Gar glanced from one end of the hall to the other; waiting for a response he knew would never come. What was he doing at school? No one was around and the lights were dimmed as if it was still summer… Maybe it __was__ summer. That would explain the odd feeling that he wasn't alone. Did that mean he was in summer school?_

_He shook his head; that didn't make sense! The school year wasn't over… was it? No, it couldn't be. He'd been goofing off in class with his friends the day before and even though he wasn't getting the __best__ grades, he was still passing… why couldn't he remember? Garfield looked around the halls again; if it __was__ summer school… he didn't have to be anywhere __near__ campus! Let alone __in__ it…_

_He took a step towards the doors to leave when he heard a sound: it was faint; barely even noticeable but Garfield knew he'd heard it before; it was a sound that reached into his very being and pulled at his heart. He headed towards the melody, the music itself changing from sad to tragic to hopeful and back again as he walked thru the maze of halls that __seemed__ familiar but the memories of them were just out of his reach. But... this was important… because someone was waiting for him? No, not waiting… calling for him? Yeah, that sounded about right. _

_Gar frowned as he glanced at the walls; they looked just like the ones at the high school yet at the same time he __knew__ he was walking thru the hallways of his old elementary school. But that wasn't right; he was 15 now and the two buildings looked completely different, both inside and out. And even if he was in the elementary school, the walk to the music room was taking longer than he remembered._

_The music room? Was that where he was supposed to be? Garfield shook his head; everything was so familiar but he still couldn't figure out __why__. It didn't help that he'd been walking forever and he wasn't any closer to getting there and if he took too long he'd never find the girl._

_His brow furrowed; a girl? A girl was calling for him? From the music room because that's where she was, right? If he didn't make it in time, he'd never get to her and she'd be gone again… But that didn't make sense either. Had he found her before? Lost her before? Was that why it was important he find her? Was that why __she__ was important?_

_He broke into a run; desperate to reach the end of the hall before the music ended. And it __couldn't__ end until he found her, because he __needed__ to find her. It __was__ important and he'd been waiting for so long and now that it was within his reach he wouldn't let it go!_

_He felt his face light up into a smile as he rounded a corner; there it was! The door to the music room! He stretched his hand out, the doorknob just within his reach…_

RRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGG

"AAAHHH!" _Thud_.

"Are you ok, Gar?" A voice called.

Garfield lifted his head off the unforgiving floor. "Ugh… Yeah Mom I'm fine."

"Alright, but hurry up so you can eat breakfast."

"Coming!"

Garfield glared at his bunk bed, cursing it along with his alarm clock for the rude wake-up call when he noticed a box partially hidden beneath his nightstand and bed-frame. He groggily reached out for it as he shifted thru the dream, trying to retain the important details before they faded as he left the clutches of sleep when he recognized the object.

_I remember this box._ Gar let out a yawn, leaning against his bottom bunk before dusting off the lid; _I shoved all the little souvenirs of stuff I never wanted to forget in here._

He smiled as he opened the box and shifted thru the movie ticket stubs, small pictures of him along with his friends, old report cards, a random bracelet from Africa, a necklace from his parents and other things that held an important memory close to his heart. Just as he was about to close the lid, Gar noticed a small pouch hidden in one of the corners at the bottom.

_This was where I kept my lucky penny…_ He gently opened the little bag and dumped the copper coin into his hand. It looked the same as he remembered it: small, round and shiny but despite its simple appearance, it was Garfield's favorite out of all his keepsakes.

_Why is that…? _He turned the penny over, brushing his fingers over the runes and outlines of each figure as he tried to remember the reason.

"Garfield! Hurry up or you'll be late!"

Garfield snapped out of his thoughts, setting the penny aside and quickly preparing himself for the day. It wasn't long before his mind wandered back to his dream, remembering the music room was the most important part. Gar frowned as he dug thru his closet for his shoes; if he visited it would help him who the girl from his dream was, but the elementary school wouldn't open their doors till later so that meant he had to visit the one at the high school before classes started. He let out a sigh and glanced at the little coin on his night stand, staring at it for a moment as he tied his laces.

_If I skip meeting the guys before school starts, it'd give me time to visit the music room… _Snatching the penny from his night stand, Garfield ran down the stairs and grabbed an apple, barely making it out of the kitchen/dining room when his dad stopped him.

"What's the hurry, Garfield?" Steve glanced up from his newspaper, "Even on your best day's you're never _this_ excited for school."

The blonde-haired boy froze for a moment before putting the apple down and sitting in one of the chairs, "Oh… it's nothing really, Sir..." Garfield fidgeted slightly in his seat before stuffing majority of his food into his mouth once his mom set a plate in front of him.

"You aren't headed for 'Before School Detention' are you?" The man gave him a stern look, "After what happened right before summer vacation, you said you'd give up on the over-the-top shenanigans. It's too early into the new school year for you to be getting into trouble."

Gar blinked, when was the last time he had even pulled a small gag on anyone? "No pranks, Sir. There's just something I gotta check out before classes start so I better get going" He stuffed more food into his mouth and chewed furiously.

"Don't eat so quickly, honey." His mother interrupted.

"Sorry Mom."

"Just remember you have practice once you get home." His dad turned to the newspaper again, "I expect you to perform at least the basics of the new technique I taught you yesterday once I get home; just because its the school year it doesn't mean you can slack off."

"You and your practices, Steve," Rita teased lightly, earning a serious look from her husband.

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment, Rita."

"Oh I know," She gave him a warm smile, "But I don't want you to be too exhausted to eat dinner again."

"Anyways…" Gar interrupted, "I'll remember, Sir, but I'll see you guys later. Bye!"

Garfield raced out of the house, desperate to reach the school and avoid the crowds; this had been the fourth night the dream had come up, but the first time so much was revealed. Before it was just the halls and the music and now he actually had facts: a girl was calling for him from the elementary (or maybe high school) music room and that he'd been waiting for it, for a long time if he remembered right. And that was probably the most important part.

That explained why he woke up feeling desperate and hopeless sometimes, some part of him wanted to find her because he had lost her. Gar increased his pace as he approached the school and thankfully found the building empty, save the occasional teacher who scolded him as he ran thru the halls. As he rounded one of the last corners to the music room, he crashed into another person and sent them both to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

On reflex, Gar jumped to his feet and glanced at a book not too far from him before noticing the person he had bumped into. "Oh man, I'm so sorry!" He extended a hand to the girl, "Totally didn't see you there!"

She stared at his hand for a moment before accepting and although Garfield had to repress a small shiver once she placed her cold hand in his own, he found himself staring as she regained her balance and nodded her thanks. Hair the color of midnight and decorated with violet highlights framed the girl's heart-shaped face, emphasizing her soft, fair skin and brought attention to her unbelievable indigo-colored eyes. The girl looked about the same age as him and wore a black hooded t-shirt layering a violet colored one with black skinny jeans and black combat boots. She also stood with a graceful sort of dignity and humble self-confidence that stood out (despite her only being a head shorter than himself) because of her petite frame, yet he felt it was familiar.

Gar observed her for a moment, watching curiously as she pulled up a hood to block her face and looked away to find her book, gingerly picking it up once she found it. Part of him was aware that she held some importance to him, but he wasn't able to recall any immediate memories of her.

"Hey," He began hesitantly, "Do I know you?" The girl shook her head, "Oh… Well, what's your name? I'm Garfield, but all my friends call me Gar."

She stared at him for a moment longer before hesitantly replying, "Rachel."

Gar blinked; her voice wasn't velvety, smooth or slightly high-pitched as her appearance suggested, instead it was a slightly raspy and somewhat soft monotone that made it hard for him to distinguish any emotion in it. He gave her a smile.

"Oh well it's nice to meet you, Rachel!"

She nodded again then stepped around him, leaving Gar staring at her back before looking towards the end of the hall where the music room was. He pouted for a moment as he considered staying with the girl verses visiting the room he had so desperately wanted to see only moments earlier. Part of him argued that he didn't _have_ to go at that very instant; that the music room would still be in the same place and he could always visit after school. The other side argued that he had practice right after and his Dad always made things tougher when he was late. But there was something about Rachel that seemed more important than his dream.

A few moments after she had walked away, Rachel felt another presence beside her and turned to see Garfield walking next to her, easily matching her steps and giving her another smile when she looked at him. "So what grade are you in?"

"Tenth,"

"No way," Rachel flinched slightly in surprise at his excitement, "So am I! Who's your homeroom teacher? Oh wait, we can compare schedules! I got mine right… here… uh…."

He stopped walking and began frantically searching his pockets then his backpack, "Man! I must've left it at home! I know some of my classes but not all of them!"

"You could always go to the office and get another copy."

"Yeah if you like spending time in that place…" He grumbled, once again following when Rachel shrugged and continued down the hall.

"So I've never seen you around before, you new?" She nodded.

"Oh cool. What school did you go to before?"

Rachel sighed inwardly, feeling slightly irritated that the boy was intent on keeping the (mostly one-sided) conversation alive, and although she admitted a small part of herself considered it a little interesting, she couldn't help but feel exasperated. "One on the other side of the country,"

"That's insane!" Gar laughed, "It's tough moving to a new city. If you want, I can show you around later so you can know all the cool places to hang out or eat and-"

"I used to live here when I was younger," She interrupted, "And I visited last summer. I know my way around."

"Oh…" Gar pouted for a moment. He had hoped that by giving Rachel a tour, not only would he'd have been able to spend more time with her, but also figure out why he was insanely curious about her. Not to mention it'd give him a reason to possibly skip practice, or at least end it early so he wouldn't be as tired as he showed her the more popular nearby areas. Now he had no excuse to hang out with her since she had spent her childhood in the city.

He felt his face light-up at the thought and he turned to her with an excited gleam in his eyes, "What elementary school did you go to?"

Rachel glanced at him, "I was home-schooled." She raised an eyebrow when Gar began pouting again, but he gave her a sheepish smile when he noticed her expression.

"Sorry, It's just you look familiar and I can't figure out from where."

"Maybe I just look like someone you know."

The blonde-haired boy shook his head, "Nah, I know for a _fact_ I'd remember eyes like yours." Garfield's eyes widened once the words left his mouth, and he began scratching the back of his neck while avoiding her gaze as the feeling of slight embarrassment wormed its way thru him. He hadn't planned on voicing his thoughts, and while he admitted in the safety of his own mind that Rachel's eyes were absolutely stunning, he couldn't help but feel that he indirectly revealed how closely he'd been paying attention to her. But he had never seen eyes like hers before! The distinctive color almost seemed unnatural, yet (even though he had _just met her_) the shade just… _harmonized_ with the rest of her.

Garfield settled for watching the ceiling, missing the look of surprise (with a touch of confusion) on Rachel's face as he continued, both of them vaguely aware that they had stopped walking. "I mean… 'cause you know… they're so… blue…"

The small amount of shock that had replaced her surprise (and confusion, which she begrudgingly admitted to herself was where part of her shock had come from) became disbelief and annoyance; the former emotion from Garfield stating something so _obvious_, and the latter from the slight amount of… _amusement,_ she had felt at his words. Rachel frowned at him for a moment before taking a deep, quiet breath; amusement didn't come close to what she felt. She felt _flattered_ and the last time she had felt the particular emotion she had gotten into a _mountain_ of trouble. But she knew she couldn't blame Gar for that; her mistakes had been her own fault.

Garfield looked at her in time to miss her pervious expression and catch the blank look on her face, causing his nervousness to shoot thru the roof. "I mean of course they're _blue_! What else would they be? But they're so dark! Not in a bad way though!" He added hurriedly, "Everyone else's I've seen are more of a sky-blue sometimes grey and yours are almost purple and that's kinda unusual… GAH! I mean the color isn't exactly normal! NO WAIT! I meant they're unique! Yeah! _That's_ what I meant! 'Cause, you know, it's not every day you see purple eyes."

Gar inwardly kicked himself for his slip-up, looking everywhere else except the girl before him as he let out a nervous laugh. Rachel, however, felt at a loss; in particularly odd way, the blonde-haired boy before her had given her a compliment and even though she acknowledged that there was nothing wrong with the way she looked, Rachel couldn't help but feel it was a bit… _weird_. Although a small part of her found it cute, even more so as he continued to avoid her gaze.

Garfield risked a glance at her, noticing that despite his out-burst, Rachel still looked extraordinarily calm. Part of him wanted to say indifferent, but there was a distinct glow in her eyes that looked a lot like laughter (not to mention the corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly), and it both relaxed and stressed his nerves. "… So, um… why did you move back?"

"Parents," She offered before continuing down the hall.

"Oh… uh… Actually, I moved here because of my parents too." Gar fell into step beside her again, feeling more at ease as the awkwardness passed, "I was eight when we first came here and it was actually pretty new since I was kinda homeschooled too, but I made a lot of really cool friends, I'll introduce you to them when I get the chance, and…"

Rachel gave another inward sigh and continued to listen, occasionally speaking or making rare comments as Garfield continued talking; prattling about random subjects till the conversation lapsed into silence which Rachel openly welcomed but realized was somewhat awkward when she noticed the look of unease and nervousness on Garfield's face.

_Doesn't really take a genius to find out the guy likes talking… _She thought to herself as she quietly observed his uncomfortable expression betray his feelings. _I guess it wouldn't hurt to start a conversation with him, he's earned that much. _Rachel turned to him with every intention of breaking the silence and instantly regretted not speaking sooner when Garfield opened his mouth.

"So… A guy and his pet monkey walk into a bar…"

* * *

Victor Stone glanced around the cafeteria as he received his lunch before spotting a petite, hooded figure sitting alone at a table in the back of the room. He smiled when he noticed the book in her hands and headed towards her.

"Rachel!"

She glanced up and nodded at him, "Hi Victor, how are you?"

Her friend smiled brightly as he sat across from her, "Great actually, I was so excited to find out we have the same lunch," A mischievous look crossed his face; "Rich* and his _girlfriend_ have the same one too."

"Has he finally asked her out?" Victor ducked his head and tried to stifle his laughter, causing Rachel to raise her eyebrows at his teasing expression, "Of course he hasn't, and I take it they'll be here too then?"

"Yeah, didn't you get my text?"

She shook her head, "I put it on vibrate when I decided to walk around the building before everyone else arrived. The school wasn't as empty as I thought." She added as an after-thought.

"Well, good thing you know now, might prepare you for one of Kori's hugs." He chuckled, taking a bite of his food.

"Oh," She sighed, "I forgot about those."

"Better prepare for it then," Victor said thru his food before he swallowed**, "Especially since she's gonna insist on a group hug before the day ends. Oh stop whining," He teased when she groaned in slight exasperation,

"I'm not whining, it just surprises me how attached she is when I only spent one summer here a year ago."

"Well Rich and I were the first people she met along with you, and the fact you were practically just as new helped her out. It was hard losing one of her best friends when you left." He chuckled again, "But you should've seen her when she heard you decided to move here."

"I can imagine." Rachel turned back to her book, inwardly cringing when he asked the one question she had hoped to avoid. "What made you change your mind about living here, anyways?"

"MY FRIEND!" She looked up in time to nearly be knocked from her seat, "Oh Rachel I have missed you so! I do realize we have communicated thru letters and texts and the calls from our cellphones and while I enjoyed all of them it is a most joyous occasion to have you back with us!"

Kori pulled away and sat to next to Victor, "Tell me more of how you spent your summer? Did you enjoy your days at the beach or perhaps spend your evenings around a fire and singing the songs of camp or-"

"Whoa Kori, give Rachel a chance." Richard, who appeared in the seat to Rachel's left, laughed before turning to his friend, "It's good to see you again."

"It's nice seeing you guys too."

Her friends smiled warmly before sharing their own vacation stories. The year before, Rachel had spent her summer visiting her father (for more training and preparation) and had met the well-known Richard Grayson and Victor Stone during one of her breaks at the city park. During said break, the trio met the outgoing (and newest resident to the city) Kori Anders who, while the girl was a sharp contrast to Rachel in terms of appearance and personality, the withdrawn girl secretly found interesting since Kori had the strongest desire to be _real_ friends, something Rachel was unfamiliar with.

Kori had long, fiery red hair and tanned skin with green eyes that added to her already spirited personality. She expressed everything she felt to the fullest and often tried including everyone in everything she did, making her the most emotionally sensitive of all of Rachel's friends. A remarkable contrast to the red-head's crush, Richard, who was secretive (despite _obviously_ returning Kori's feelings) and disciplined yet friendly and occasionally teasing, which fit his appearance; jet-black hair and overpowering ice blue eyes. Rachel, along with the rest of her friends, had found he was also the most similar to her which caused the group to playfully call them twins. Victor, who was the tallest as well as the most athletic, was like an older brother to them. He had a strong, somewhat intimidating build emphasized by his height, but held an outgoing and good-humored aura. It had been frustrating at first, but the three of them had found a way into her heart along and Rachel admitted to herself that it was nice having them around.

"Rachel, we must celebrate that you are now living here!" Kori gave her friend a hopeful look, "Surely you would agree that a party is the best way to commemorate such an important time?"

"Kori, I don't think it's a good idea for that right now." Richard glanced at Rachel before turning back to the red-head across from him, "A big event isn't exactly something-"

"But Richard, it will only be you, Victor and I; it will give us more of an opportunity to do the catching up as well as allow us to know where our friend lives. None of us have moved from our homes."

"Yeah Rich," Victor interrupted before turning to their friend, "We can meet up a few hours after school lets out and after my practice is over so we can get homework done. And none of us have plans later anyways," He smirked, "Looks like I covered all the excuses."

Rachel took a sip from her water bottle, "I'm not completely done moving in, and I highly doubt you want to deal with that."

"Oh we could always help with the unpacking!" Kori exclaimed, "But I insist on celebrating! Perhaps we could use my home! We must get decorations, and soda, and pizza and- Oh Victor, you must help me with…"

"You sure it's ok, Rachel?" Richard asked in a hushed tone as their friend began listing the necessities for the party, "I know it may seem a bit much and I don't want you to-"

"I'll be fine Rich," Rachel interrupted, "Even if I don't find an excuse for her not to hold a party, I can handle myself. Don't worry."

"Hey guys!" The group turned, three of them with smiles and one whose eyes widened ever so slightly to betray her surprise. "You won't believe what happened to me this morning…" Gar trailed off and stared at Rachel before a grin appeared on his face. "Dude, Rachel! We have the same lunch!"

Richard looked between them as Gar in the free seat beside their dark-haired friend, "So…you two know each other?"

"Unfortunately," "Yeah we met this morning!"

They looked at each other while Kori giggled, "Friends, that was most funny, did you practice speaking at the same time?"

"No." Rachel glanced at her book and turned the page before looking back at the group, "Like Garfield said, we met this morning-"

"And we have three classes, including homeroom, together! And now lunch!" He pulled out his food, noticing Rachel's own tray, "Are you a vegetarian too, Rea?"

The dark-haired girl raised an eyebrow, "Rea?"

"Yeah you know," Gar beamed at her, "Sort for 'Rachel'."

"I prefer 'Rachel', and no. I'm not."

"Oh," He held out the container, "Well I am, but it's totally cool if you want to try my tofu! Its super good and-"

Victor let out an exasperated groan, "Man, that stuff is nasty! Why can't you eat real meat?"

"Not all of us are big on eating poor, helpless animals!"

"You're never gonna get any muscle on that skinny frame of yours if you don't eat _real_ food!"

"Tofu is good for you! It reduces the risk of developing certain cancers and helps lower cholesterol…"

"Are they always like this?" Rachel raised an eyebrow as the two boys began bickering before turning to her other friends. Richard and Kori laughed at the argument before Rich looked at their dark-haired friend.

"Yeah, but you get used to it after a while. And they don't mean anything by it; Vic just likes for teasing Gar being a vegetarian and Gar's always giving Vic a hard time for being a meat-eater."

"Can't they just-"

"Hey wait a minute!" Gar suddenly abandoned the 'discussion' and turned towards Rachel, "How do you know the gang? You just moved here."

"Oh! Rachel visited the city a year ago around the same time I moved here!" Kori exclaimed proudly, "I was exploring and saw her along with friends Richard and Victor when I went to the park and this boy had gotten lost and we assisted him!"

The red-head gave them a warm smile, "I couldn't ask for a more glorious first day in the city! And I was most excited to meet you when you returned from your summer trip, Garfield!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Hold up… You guys mean to tell me you've had a secret friend that I didn't know about! And didn't even bother introducing me when she came back!?"

"We have mentioned our friend Rachel to you before Garfield," Kori said turning towards the boys, "Have we not?"

Victor swallowed his food and nodded along with Richard, "Yeah man, we've talked about her a few times," Vic took another bite of his food, "It's not like we didn't want you to meet her, but… well I guess I never thought about that."

"Were you ever gonna tell me!"

"As if not mentioning someone they met over summer vacation is something worth panicking over," Rachel took another sip of her water and turned to her book, ignoring the surprised expression on Garfield's face. "You're acting like they were purposely keeping you in the dark about me, which they weren't, so I don't see how that's important."

Garfield gave her an incredulous look, "Wha… It _is_ important!" Rachel looked from her book and into his eyes, causing another sudden feeling of nervousness to overcome him.

"I mean… you are… Important that is..." She raised an eyebrow and a blush erupted on Gar's face, "Not like that! Not that you're not attractive, which you are. Not that I've been looking! I don't mean that there are guys who wouldn't notice, not that guys stare at you… I mean, we just met… but uh… just because we just met it doesn't mean you're not my friend because we're both friends with them…"

He pointed towards said friends (two of which were busy trying to keep their laughter in check while the third one looked amused), "… Not that there's anything wrong with being friends with them, but since we have the same friends that makes us friends and that means we can hang out… Right?"

Another awkward silence overcame them, only this time (much to their dismay) they shared it with three other people who looked ready to burst into laughter at any given moment. Rachel's expression had remained stoic throughout the ramble but Garfield, however, was once more inwardly kicking himself for his sudden panic. During their classes he had managed keeping his intense curiosity about her to himself but saying out loud that she was intriguing (to her and _in front of their friends_) was _beyond_ embarrassing! Not to mention he also told her he thought she was attractive.

"Oh I know the perfect moment to hang out!" Rachel blinked and turned at her red-haired friend's exclamation, "I don't remember agreeing to your idea, Kori."

"I wish to have a party for you at my house and I _insist_ on celebrating!" Kori smacked a fit into her open hand, "It will be small, but there is nothing better than being surrounded by ones closest friends. Perhaps you could come, Garfield?"

"I… uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck and gave the dark-haired girl an uneasy look while the other two boys at the table leaned forward to hear Rachel's reply.

She shrugged, "If you want," Rachel turned towards the book again as Kori began squealing.

"Oh glorious!" She reached over and clasped Rachel's free hand in both of her own, ignoring the slightly irked look on the pale girl's face, "I cannot wait for this evening! I shall even prepare some of my home country's meals of festivity for you since you were only able to try simple snacks when you were here last summer."

Everyone at the table blanched, "Nah Kori, just gimme a grill and some patties and I'll prepare the best burgers you'll ever try!" Victor smiled as he imagined the delicious banquet of meat he had in mind before his best friend barged in on his dream.

"Dude, stop drooling! And there's _no way_ I'm letting you serve up a slaughter-fest at Rea's party!" Garfield crossed his arms, "We're having healthy, enjoyable and _appealing_ food!"

"Man, tofu's only appealing when it's in the garbage!"

"You've never even given it a chance!"

"I've tried it against my will!" Vic retorted, "We had a video-game all-nighter and you made breakfast the next morning!"***

"I was doing you a favor! And you just _had_ to spit it out all my hard work!" Gar waved his hands in exasperation, though he was careful not to hit Rachel.

"We're having burgers!"

"No! We're having tofu!"

"Burgers!"

"Tofu!"

"Burgers!"

"Tofu!"

"Burgers!"

"Tofu!"

"QUIET!"

The group turned to look at Rachel with shocked expressions, which she shared though it quickly became indifferent, "Fighting over what you think should be the main food isn't going to change your own opinions. So stop acting like idiots and serve both foods."****

She turned back to her book once more as the two boys sulked and Kori attempted to comfort them. After a few moments, Rachel sensed someone's gaze and turned, sending Richard a slightly curious look when she noticed her friend's amused expression. He shrugged and looked back to the rest of their friends as both Gar and Victor recovered from Rachel's scolding and began arguing once again.

Not only were they similar in many things, but out of everyone in the group, Richard understood Rachel the best; which was another reason Vic always called them twins… although Rich was a bit (a lot) more competitive, hot-headed and immature than she was. But it was refreshing for the black-haired boy to see his friend open up so quickly around someone she wasn't used too since she was slightly distant and a tad anti-social with new people. It was especially uplifting since he believed Rachel had probably never met anyone like Gar before and vice-versa. And although she hadn't shared much, Richard believed she needed to surround herself with good company after the difficult time she had gone thru on her own.

"Well I think we should let Rachel decide what she wants to eat!" Garfield opened the container of tofu and held it out to the dark-haired girl, hoping she'd look away from her book, "Have you tried it before?"

"No."

"You can have some of mine then!"

"I don't eat tofu."

"Aww," He pouted as she continued reading, "Come on, Rea! It's loaded with soybean-y goodness."

She gave him a neutral glance, "I'll respect that you don't eat meat, please respect that I don't eat _fake_ meat."*****

Victor let out a stream of side-splitting laughs as Richard and Kori chuckled quietly, "Man Rachel! You got him good!"

Gar sent him a glare before turning back to object of his curiosity, "Give it a chance! You'll love it!"

"No."

"Please! It's super healthy and delicious and-"

"I said _no_, Garfield."

"You've never even tried it before! I mean, if you've tasted it before then I'd understand but you haven't and isn't that kind of bias? Just one bite and I'm sure you'll- AH!"

Rachel calmly retracted her arm and took another sip of water as the rest of the group leaned to look at their friend as Garfield propped himself on his elbows and gave the dark-haired girl a disbelieving look, "Did you just _push_ me!?"******

* * *

Rachel let out a quiet sigh as she entered her apartment and quickly set down her backpack once she shut the door. As she made her way to the kitchen, she couldn't help but feel a bit proud; she had spent majority of day before moving the furniture, putting up all her pictures and statues and just doing her best to make it livable and only had a couple of boxes of random things that needed to be put away. Since Azara had made sure the apartment remained furnished throughout the years, the only thing Rachel had worried about was adding her own touch. It also helped that she hadn't brought too much with her when she left.

She placed her tea kettle on the stove and pulled out the necessities to prepare a relaxing drink as her thoughts drifted to the newest person in her life; Garfield held a spirited and optimistic aura that he seemed to want to share with others along with something hidden deep inside that Rachel couldn't quite place. There wasn't anything _extraordinary_ about him (considering that despite only a head shorter than Richard, Gar had a slim frame), but his straight jaw and full lips went well with his golden-blonde hair, which bought out the deepest green eyes she had ever seen. And although she usually didn't bother with such things too much, she did like his clothes; his straight-fit jeans with a maroon-colored, long-sleeve button-up shirt added to his appearance and made him look surprisingly handsome. She couldn't make a complete analysis of him since she had just met him, but she surprisingly found Garfield somewhat amusing and charming in an annoying, persistent sort of way. And maybe just _a little_ endearing as well.

Her cell phone rang out, alerting her of a new text message and she pinched the bridge of her nose when she read the name of the sender; even though she had hoped not to run into him again once they had parted ways at the office (or rather her leaving once he had walked into the room), Garfield shared her Homeroom along with her First, Third and Sixth classes! Even lunch, which she had looked forward to sharing with the rest of the group once Victor had told her while they ate, was no longer a place of calmness (for high school at least) since her friends were obviously more chaotic when he was around. And how he had managed to convince her to give him her number after 'borrowing' her cell phone was a memory she refused to go back to… Rachel glared at the device and sent a quick reply before sighing again; she had practiced patience for _years_ and in the course of a few hours, Garfield had left her feeling drained from all the time she had spent listening to his jokes and ramblings. Overall, he was _exhausting_.

She quickly turned off the stove when the kettle whistled and poured the water into her cup, turning to look around the apartment once more after the tea was prepared. Rachel frowned a bit as her eyes landed on a particular picture, one of her and Azara after they left from her mother's practice that fateful day, and she could almost hear her nana's encouraging words to let the music free. Normally she'd sit down for a bit of meditation after such a stressful day and, considering she had a 'party' to attend later, taking the time to reflect and unravel her thoughts seemed like a good plan. But the idea of letting her thoughts out, letting the melody surge forward to demonstrate the inspiration she had received (if one could even call it that) seemed… _right_.

Setting her cup down, Rachel walked into Azara's old room and hesitated when she crossed the doorway, taking in the change; it was odd for her to think the woman had believed that the girl would return without her beloved nana for the room to be remodeled into a small study/library, but Azara always had been cautious. Rachel shook of the feeling of nostalgia and began searching thru the closet to find the old exercise instruments they once used for practice. She gave a small smile when she found the case, and it widened when she realized the years had done nothing to tarnish the sound. Gently, with a grace she seemed to radiate naturally, Rachel positioned her hands and allowed the music to run free; dreaming of emerald eyes and the river of emotions that flowed thru them.

* * *

***I prefer calling Richard, Rich. It just sounds so much more… proper? That's just my opinion.  
**Cyborg (as seen in the episode "Employee of the Month") has a talent of being understood even when he has his mouth full…  
***Remember in the episode "Nevermore" when Beast Boy made breakfast and Cyborg was able to tell the difference? Yeah this was an imitation on that :).  
****In "Divide and Conquer", Raven played the voice of reason. One thing to really remember is she did **_**not**_** call Cyborg and Robin 'idiots', she told them to 'stop **_**acting**_** like idiots'. There's a difference. Also, in the episode "Go!" she shouted at them and seemed a bit surprised that she had done so, the line where she looked surprised was inspired by that.  
***** This line and the line above it are from the episode "Sum of His Parts".  
******So in the comics, Raven often threw BB out the window. Yeah here she can't do that, but she **_**can**_** push him out of his chair haha.  
I should seriously consider putting numbers instead of stars.  
Read and Review and remember, Constructive Criticism only, and thanks again for the reviews!  
Take Care!**


	3. Like Night and Day

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.  
Hey peoples! I was thinking the other day that not many have actually tried guessing what instrument Raven is using, any ideas?  
Also, this may sound like a really random/stupid question, but does Cyborg ever call Raven "Rea"? If so what episode and what did he say? I'd go thru the episodes myself but my sister let a friend borrow one of my DVD's. It's also annoying that YouTube doesn't have all the episodes… Oh well.  
Anyways, thanks for the reviews! Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

_I think every person has their own identity and beauty. Everyone being different is what is really beautiful. If we were all the same, it would be boring._

_~Tila Tequila_

* * *

Garfield lifted his head from his pillow and glanced at his cell phone before shoving it into his pocket with a dispirited sigh; of all the days for his friends to have plans…

"**I'm so bored!**"

"You could always go for a walk." The boy turned to his bedroom door in surprise, noticing Rita walking towards him with a laundry basket under her arms.

"Yeah…" He began hesitantly, "But everyone's busy! Rich is at practice, Vic hasn't texted back and the girls just _had_ to contact the spirit world _today_…"

His mother blinked, "… The spirit world?"

"Yeah, Rea was talking about it yesterday at lunch and Kori wanted to try it." He shrugged and looked at the ceiling, "It's kinda cool; in a weird, creepy sort of way. Can't be all bad if Kori's trying it."

Rita chuckled and set the basket at the foot of his bed, "Well, from what you've told me, they _are_ best friends. I'm sure they enjoy sharing each other's interests, even if it seems a bit peculiar."

"Yeah well, Rachel reads _all the time_. Always caring some huge book around with her-"

"What does she read?"

Garfield opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words. Just what _did_ she read? All her hardcovers had no design on the front with only the name on the spine. Sure he had asked on a few occasions, but the few titles or descriptions he remembered were either really, _really_ old or weird enough that he merely skimmed thru the summaries once he found information on the books when he actually decided to research them. The fact he didn't particularly pay attention when she mentioned the author didn't help much either…

"I'm not sure actually." Garfield turned to look at his mother, "But they're pretty thick most of the time, or sound super old; it's super rare she reads a thinner one."

"Do you remember anything about them?"

He sat up and crossed his legs, "Hm… Well, one was about some king who turns out he ended up killing his dad and marrying his mom by accident…"*

"Oh!" Gar jumped at his mother's sudden squeal, "I remember that story! It was one of my favorites during High School! It's a bit difficult to understand, but once the plot is explained, it's very interesting and tragic."

"… So it's old?"

"The story itself yes, it was a play first performed about a thousand years ago."

"Dude! Why would she willingly read that ancient stuff?"

Rita gave him a thoughtful look, "You said she's in advanced courses, so maybe she's reading in class."

"Nah, she said she's had the book for a while…"

"Ah, she's in a family of avid readers?" Her face brightened, "I'd love to meet her parents just as much as I'd love to meet her!"

Gar shook his head, pulling out his cell phone as it rang out, "Not sure actually… Oh sweet!" He hopped up and grabbed a newly washed jacket, "Vic says he's gonna work on the car he finished fixing up a few weeks ago and I can help out! Can I go?"

"I thought you said Victor was never letting you near his garage again after what happened last time?"

"That was not my fault!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms as he glared at the ground and mumbled quietly enough Rita only caught the words 'accident' and 'stupid motor oil' before he recovered, "So can I? I promise I'll be back before Dad gets home."

"Of course," She stood and patted his head, "Be careful this time though."

"Yeah, don't worry. See ya!"

Garfield smiled as he closed the front door, taking a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air before walking towards his friend's house with a noticeably cheerful lightheartedness in his steps. Eventually, his mind wandered back to the questions his mother had asked him and he felt a sliver of embarrassment pass through him. Despite his curiosity towards her, Garfield hadn't done much too _actually_ get to know Rachel, instead trying to figure out why she was familiar. A mission that had been fading slowly as time went on, mostly because he wanted to get her to laugh at his jokes since he _was_ funny, but also because it was just too much fun getting her riled up… that and her normally stoic expression kinda freaked him out. She was so indifferent towards everything majority of the time and… well, it was weird and it made him more than just a little nervous when he was around her. True, constantly getting on her bad side wasn't the ideal way to get a smile, but it wasn't like he did it on purpose…

He followed a particularly odd-looking cloud with his eyes before focusing on his path once more. At least he knew she didn't like physical contact - which he could respect; she was always so cold anyways because of low blood circulation or body temperature or something… it made him wonder why she hardly ever wore a jacket or sweater. He also knew she loved reading, did excellent in school, hated his jokes, enjoyed pushing him out of his chair when he annoyed her (it definitely _seemed_ that way at least…), what irritated and calmed her down - mostly for his own sake - that she rarely talked about her family and that her favorite color was blue. Although the particular fact that Rachel preferred blue was the easiest thing to learn since the girl had made it more than clear when Kori had shown the group her new pink nail polish while offering it to Rachel.

A smile appeared on his face at the memory before a small frown took its place; basic knowledge of her was just that: basic. It was information that _maybe_ an acquaintance knew… well, the being constantly cold thing wasn't but Richard had been the one who explained it to him, not Rachel. Garfield didn't know _why_ she hardly spoke about her family or _what kind _of books she preferred or _why_ she disliked physical contact… it was kinda sad really; he knew all that stuff about the rest of his friends. Then again, Rachel was secretive and mysterious so she rarely gave explanations if she disliked the subject even when he pushed it. Not to mention his initial curiosity towards finding out why she was familiar had also held him back at being a good friend.

_Definitely doesn't help that I was more focused on getting into the elementary school more than anything else these past few weeks._

Garfield glanced at the building as he passed it, the memory-dream resurfacing once more. Since the day he had finally figured out where he needed to be and who he was searching for in his dream, he had only been able to see the High School music room because his schedule never allowed him to visit his elementary school before the doors were locked… but it seemed as if the blinds for the windows had been left up. He felt a mischievous grin spread on his face and before he consciously realized his decision, Garfield headed towards the gate and crossed the playground, searching for the music room window. It was rare finding someone on school grounds on a Saturday, and he figured a peak wouldn't hurt.

Relief filled him as he looked through the glass and realized the room was the same as he remembered; keyboards lined up against one of the walls and the cabinets beside them covered by a plastic casing to protect the various instruments they held. He smiled when he noticed the school still hadn't gotten rid of the miniature concert hall in one corner, but it faded as he realized no memories were resurfacing.

"Man, this is so not fair…" He pulled away from the window and lost himself in his thoughts as he continued his journey.

"Yo Gar," The blonde-haired boy jumped in surprise and looked him at his athletic friend who had a puzzled but concerned look on his face.

"Hey Vic. Uh… fancy meeting you here."

Victor raised an eyebrow, "You mean in front of my house?" He frowned as Garfield glanced behind him, realizing with a start teh boy never noticed his approach or Vic's initial greeting, "You alright buddy?"

"Yeah… I'm fine, just thinking."

Victor smiled at him, "That's a first."

"Hey! I resent that!" He gave the athlete a mock-serious look before they burst into laughter, "How's your day been, dude?"

"Oh you know same as every Saturday; morning practice, tutoring right after, searching for parts for my baby; which reminds me…" He lifted up a small box, "This just arrived in the mail, and it's gonna make the engine run like a dream!"

Garfield chuckled as Victor practically ran towards the open garage, "Dude, you've already got a sweet ride; not only is it a classic but it's got more to it than any car I've ever seen!"

"I'm surprised other people have let you _look_ at their cars, let alone get near them!"

"Oh sure, I help you out one time and suddenly-"

"Don't you bring up _that_ _day_!" Garfield gave his friend an exasperated and slightly annoyed look as Victor continued, "Too many awful memories… oh the horror! I'm not letting you near the motor oil again."

"Dude! It was so not my fault!"

"Hey I'm not sayin' you can't help, just that we're not taking any chances this time," Victor tossed the boy an open-ended wrench, "Come on, we got a lot to work on!"

Garfield smiled and followed his friend, their conversation jumping from one subject to another as they -mostly Victor- worked on the car. While he knew he didn't have same patience or tolerance as his friend to work on such things as long as the athlete did (not to mention learn all the fancy terms Vic used), more often than not, Garfield found it a nice way to keep busy and relax at the same time as he hung out with his friend. Richard occasionally helped them, usually when he wasn't busy doing whatever it was he did, the guy had a _super_ busy schedule some weekends, but they hardly minded. Garfield also felt a bit smug of the fact _he_ was the one who helped more than anyone else did. He hadn't realized he had voiced the particular thought till Victor answered him.

"Rachel helps me out a lot actually." The athlete pulled himself from under the car and wiped his hands on a washrag. "I told her in one of our letters my plans about repairing and customizing once I got my car then texted her when I finally did." He chuckled, "Man, I was _thrilled_ when I first got my baby and I went on about how excited I was. She comes over twice a week and works on few things with me."

Garfield gave his friend a dumbfounded stare and Victor turned away to hide his laughter at the blonde boy's expression, "She works on cars!?"

The athlete glanced at his friend and shrugged, "Well she helps me with mine." He leaned down and shifted through the tool box, "I mentioned it a few times but we never really talked about it till I texted her. I'm still surprised that she actually _called_ and asked why I wanted a vintage one instead of a new car, considering it was just that: _a car_."

"What did you say?" Garfield tipped his head to the side as his friend pulled out a small light and leaned over the vehicle's engine with a pensive look on his face.

"That it was my dream to design my own ever since I first helped out my dad with his." He shrugged again, "I had the plans for what I wanted to do for years and that I was going to put everything into it."

"Bet ya she was a downer on it huh?"

"Actually, she wished me luck. Said she looked forward to seeing it someday, 'cause you know, back then she still lived on the other side of the country and she didn't know if she'd be coming back anytime soon. But it was nice hearing that she understood putting everything into something." Victor turned to his friend, "Rachel's not as bad as you think, Gar. Sure she's got her moments but she's a great friend. I mean, even though she wasn't really interested in the beginning, it was because of my car that we're better friends. I almost gave up that one time some punk stole my baby after I finally got the engine running. But she helped me up and I got my baby back."

Garfield raised an eye brow, "Sounds more like you're talking about a sister instead of a friend."

"She kinda is," Vic smiled, "If she was though, I get the feeling she'd be the mature younger sister and since I'm friends with _you_, I'd be the goofy, overprotective older brother."

"Gotta say, still kinda surprises me, dude. I don't think I've ever been on the receiving end of encouragement…" Garfield frowned, "Now that I think about, I've never seen it happen before."

Victor chuckled again, "You know she's not big on giving huge, passionate speeches; especially in front of other people. When she first came back, she made me spill about how hard I worked on every fuel injector every spark plug. How I put my heart, my soul, and my time into making my baby perfect…"

Garfield felt his curiosity spike as a pensive expression crossed his friends face, "She never told me what it was, even when I asked her about it, but she said she had something special in her life too and that she put a little of her soul into it. And even though she didn't use the exact words, I get that she wanted to say she understood me, because when she works on… whatever it is, she becomes a part of it, and it becomes a part of her."**

"Woah… That's deep."

Victor gave him an impish smile, "Told ya. If you ever get the chance, ask Kori how they got to be best friends. It's pretty interesting." He closed the hood, "Let's call it a day; I have a date with my girlfriend soon and-"

"But you're not finished!"

"I know, I'll borrow my dad's car and take care of the rest later this week when Rachel stops by."

Gar rolled his eyes and gave his friend a mock-indignant glare, "You let _a girl_ touch your car but not me; your best friend _and_ your partner in crime since we were eight!?"

The athlete placed a sympathetic hand on his friends back before smirking at him, "No sane person would let you near something so perfect like my car. Rachel is responsible, mature _and_ car smart, which you're obviously not after what happened-"

"ACCIDENT!" Gar huffed, "I bet you're just jealous!"

Vic scoffed. "Jealous of what?"

"That _I'm_ the good-looking and absolutely hilarious one in the gang, duh!" Garfield grinned, "Ladies love a guy with a good sense of humor and none of them are able to resist my charms!"

"Yeah right Gar, those jokes are _beyond_ corny. And if I don't get them, I'm pretty sure 'the ladies' aren't gonna get them either."

"Come on, dude! I can make anyone laugh, and you're trying to crush my spirits? That's harsh!"

They burst out laughing, enjoying the once again relaxing atmosphere before they gave their good byes and parted ways. It was a bit odd for Garfield to realize how little he knew about Rachel, and the impact she had the in life of one of his closest friends. Mostly because she was so distant and reserved, but he also acknowledged the fact the group had known her longer and even if they had mentioned her more often it wasn't the same as actually knowing her. It was almost as if he was missing part of his friend's lives because he had never shared it with them to begin with.

His stomach suddenly grumbled. "Aww man… I haven't eaten anything since breakfast… how does Vic manage to go so long working on that car without food?"

Garfield's feet took him to his favorite pizza shop, the only place he and all his friends enjoyed visiting because they had every pizza anyone could think of… and the only one that was willing to prepare the random concoctions Kori occasionally suggested. His mouth began watering from the mere _idea_ of an extra-large vegetarian-tofu all to himself as he reached for the door when he spotted a flash of vibrant red out of the corner of his eye followed by bright purple streaks when he turned to look.

"Kori? Rea?" He felt his mouth drop open as they entered a small building he had never noticed before with simple but depressed looking sign and, hunger completely forgotten, scurried after them.

The café, as it turned out to be, was just as sad as its sign; the theme wasn't miserable, but it wasn't exactly in high spirits since grey, black, dark navy with a touch of white were its main colors. In fact, if the color of the walls were burgundy, cream or even yellow, Garfield suspected the little coffee shop would most likely have a wider range of customers. Heck, if management got rid of the eerie old-fashioned theme they'd be more popular overall. Most likely with college students since the place held a bit of a quiet, calm and relaxing atmosphere… if the décor wasn't so weird anyway.

_At least the chairs and tables aren't a freaky design, just normal boring wood._

He tore his attention from the furnishings at the sound of a familiar laugh and easily spotted his two friends. Kori's passion-fruit pink dress and white leggings stood out the same way a fluffy white cat did in a sea of sleek, black ones, yet she looked comfortable and was obviously telling an animated story to Rachel whose face held a bit of amusement at whatever their friend was saying.

Gar smiled and approached them, "Ladies,"

They turned and Kori's face brightened in surprise, "Friend! What might you be doing here?"

"I was about to get a pizza when I saw you, thought I'd come and say hi."

"Lucky us then," Rachel raised an eyebrow when Garfield's stomach growled suddenly.

He shrugged sheepishly, "Any good food here?"

"Oh they have a wonderful assortment of sandwiches but my favorite treats are the pastries made with mustard!"*** Kori jumped from her chair and pulled an unoccupied one from a different table and sat him down, "Join us! I was telling Rachel a story of when my brother was very young and he released the family pet during a gathering our elder sister had arranged!" She giggled, "Everyone spoke of how it was the most entertaining event they had attended for weeks!"

"Actually, I'm going to see if our order is ready," Rachel stood up and looked at Garfield, "Want me to get you something?"

"I'm game if they have any vegetarian-tofu pizza."

She looked at him, "Number one item on the menu at any coffee shop,"

Kori giggled at Garfield's confused expression as the dark-haired girl walked away, "Do not worry, friend. Rachel is familiar with the staff here and they shall be most willing to prepare a new item. Shortly after I first commented the idea to Rachel, and because we visit often, they added my Mustard Batons to their selection. I am sure she will convince them to make you a pizza."

"They have cooks here?"

She nodded, "Of course, this place is most similar to a small restaurant because they have a kitchen, and will prepare meals when asked. However, their treats come from the bakery shop next door."

"Wow," Gar looked around the café once more, appreciation for the staff filing him despite the odd decorations, "Not often you find a place that compares to the Pizza Shop."

"I agree. It is possible that without Rachel, I would have never discovered this place. It is rather overlooked because of its simple appearance, even more so because such lively shops surround it."

"Yeah I never noticed this place till I saw you guys walk in," He scratched the back of his head, "Thought it was new."

Kori shook her head, "From what I understand, Rachel came here often when she was young and visited again when she returned last year. It seems she is familiar with the manager's daughter as well."

"Oh. That's cool, I guess."

"Yes, it very much is. Tell me friend, what did you do this lovely and gloriously sunny Saturday?"

"Hung out with Vic for a while," He straightened and gave Kori a smile, "Which reminds me, he told me to ask you how you and Rea became such good friends. Care to share?"

She laughed, "You are most amusing, friend." She looked behind him and Garfield turned, noticing Rachel talking to a slightly older woman with medium-length brown hair, "I suspect Rachel will be a bit longer, perhaps I can share story of our friendship before she returns."

Gar blinked, "She doesn't like talking about it?"

"Oh it is not that," A thoughtful expression crossed her face, "Rachel is very direct, she prefers saying what is needed and will not share more than that if she does not want too."

"Yeah that sounds about right. Anyways…" He motioned for her to continue.

"Well, in the beginning Rachel did not take such a liking to me once we became friends with Richard and Victor. It was very much the same for me because I never truly understood Raven, and so we did not connect with each other very well." A sad smile appeared on her face, "In the beginning, I attempted to bond with Rachel more, but she often, as Victor once stated, 'shot me down'. Later Rachel told me she dismissed all of my requests to do 'stereotypical teenage girl stuff' because she found no interest in them."

"Dude, that's mean! Totally not a reason to-"

"Be understanding, Garfield. Earlier we admitted we would not have noticed this café if it were not for Rachel being interested in such a place. Would you have stayed on your own if Rachel and I were not here?"

Gar looked at the table, remembering what he had thought when he first entered, "Probably not."

"See? I understand why she had thought that way in the beginning, even more so because the only thing connecting us was that we were friends with Richard and Victor. Yes, being the only girls gave us the chance for a special bond, but we had only thought about our own interests and not each other's during the first few weeks of our friendship."

"So what happened?"

Kori scowled, "One of my sister's friends decided it would be most amusing to color my hair black and Rachel's red and introduce us as each other during a gathering she had arranged. She wished to cause those who had yet to meet me to dislike me because Rachel and I have such different personalities and it would have allowed her to be invited to a party my sister was planning. So she ambushed us and forced the hair change and a 'make-over' to make us look like one another against our will."

"Whoa…" Gar whistled, "That's harsh."

"It was most horrible! Even more so because her family is from my home country and those who had gathered were not only very well-known but also friends with Galfore, who had told them about me before the event!" She placed her head in her hands, "I had never felt so humiliated than in those first two hours…"

Garfield's eyes widened, "Did Rea embarrass you on purpose?"

"No; she was most worried about her reputation for some reason… but in the beginning we had 'gone into battle unprepared' and we often had to intervene when the situation became too much to handle." She sat up and glared at ceiling before turning back to her friend, "She was being so negative and rude that I lost my temper at her."

"Can't blame you there," He shrugged. Rachel was the least similar to Garfield out of everyone in the group and despite his earlier guilt at not knowing her as a friend; he had to admit her indifferent attitude was a bit of a buzz-kill sometimes.

"Perhaps, but Rachel was correct when she said later that although we looked and held each other's reputation, we knew nothing about one another." Kori looked behind him again, "Although she told me only what was necessary, I learned more about her than I ever thought I would after how we were before. She even suggested we visit the mall after we saved our reputations and got our hair color changed back." She turned back to him with a smile, before bursting out in a series of giggles.

Gar raised his eyebrows as she attempted to explain, "They gave Rachel extensions! It still amuses me how relieved she was to have them removed!"****

"Sounds like a party over here." They looked up in time for their friend to set a tray of food on the table, "I got you a small pizza, but if you want more the staff is willing to make it."

"Uh…" Gar looked from the pizza to Kori to Rachel who reached for her plate as she sat down, "Thanks Rea."

She nodded at him and for a moment, Garfield thought he caught a hint of a smile on her face, causing a feeling of contentment to pass through him.

"You're welcome. I ordered you a glass of lemonade too, they should have it ready-"

"I shall get them!" They turned and noticed the three drinks being put on a tray as Kori stood, "I wish for one more treat as well, do you want anything friends?"

Rachel shook her head as Garfield voiced his answer, "Nah, I think I'm good."

"Enjoy your treats then!" The red-head happily walked away and Garfield turned to his pizza, taking a hesitant bite. A burst of flavor filled his mouth and he nearly inhaled the slice; it wasn't as good as the Pizza shop but it _was_ delicious and he had never been one to turn down good food.

"I think I just lost my appetite…" Garfield glanced up and attempted a sheepish smile despite his mouth nearly overflowing from his food at the slightly peeved look on Rachel's face.

He swallowed, "Sorry, but this is pretty good. Never thought a creepy place like this would know how to make something taste so good," Gar glanced around the café, "Is the food the reason you come here?"

Garfield looked from his pizza in time to catch a flash of something he couldn't quite place pass thru Rachel's eyes before it disappeared just as quickly. She stared at him for a moment and her unreadable expression unnerved him before she finally answered, "This place isn't very noticeable, but all sorts of people visit. Some for the food, the customer service or the drinks, but I like the atmosphere; it's different. Like me."

Rachel shifted her attention from him to her plate and took a small bite out of her pastry as Garfield turned to his own food, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Now he knew what the flash of emotion had been; it hadn't quite been hurt or annoyance, but it _had_ bothered her, at least a little, that in an indirect way he had called her creepy.

"Uh… The decorations are pretty rad, in a medieval, hundreds of years ago kinda way… Not that there's anything wrong with that 'cause you know, old-fashioned things are coming back and since that was the thing back then and all…" Garfield avoided her gaze and took another bite of his pizza, deliberately chewing slowly as the air around them grew heavy from the silence.

"I used to come here a lot when I was younger." Garfield started, surprised the girl before him had decided to speak. He tilted his head in slight confusion as her eyes moved around the café before he realized what she was sharing. "All the others I had visited before were nice, but there was just something about this one that made it my favorite."

A bright smile appeared on his face, "Dude, I so get what you mean; this place is pretty chill. We gotta bring Rich and Vic sometime."

Rachel turned to him, confusion swirling in her eyes, "You want to invite them?"

He blinked, "Well yeah… just add some killer beats and you'd have the hottest teen hang out!"

The smile returned as she rolled her eyes, "The food must be really good for you to want to invite them yourself."

Was that why she was confused? Because she couldn't believe he was willing to bring other people to a place he thought was creepy? "Hey," He pointed his pizza at her, "Creepy places have things going for them too; kinda like a mouse feeling at the top of the world for being in a cookie jar."

She turned to her plate as quiet, small chuckle escaped her, "You're kinda funny…" Garfield nearly fell off his chair from shock; he was sure she hadn't meant for him to hear the words, but there was no mistake on what she said and they filled him with amazement and pride.

"You think I'm funny…"

"Friend," Gar jumped while his dark-haired friend simply looked up as Kori placed their drinks on the table, "Rachel and I will visit the mall to go shopping after we finish here, do you wish to join us?"

He glanced at his watch, "Sure, I can spare a few hours before my dad gets home."

"Glorious! I am most excited to visit the new store they have opened! They have a wide selection of accessories and clothing!"

"I heard the bookstore was moved to a different location and now they have two floors."

Garfield smiled as he looked at the two girls; they definitely looked and acted like best friends now that he thought about it. Sure Rachel didn't exactly squeal at the idea of spending an entire day at the mall and Kori wasn't always thrilled when the dark-haired girl told her about the latest horror novel, but they were willing to meet each other halfway and compromise.

Victor and Kori were right; there was more to Rachel than he realized and now he was going to stop being just as distant and be the good friend he knew he was. After all, being _real_ friends with a person meant you knew their likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests and both their good and bad side along with the little quirks that made them, well them.

Garfield took a bite of his pizza and savored the taste before launching into how delicious it was and inviting Rachel to try the Pizza Shop with the rest of the group during her free time.

* * *

Rachel dug thru the closet and pulled out the case once more. "I should keep this in my room instead…"

The poor instrument had seen more daylight in the past few weeks than it had in seven years, including when she had visited for the summer the year before, yet the sound it gave was as lovely as she remembered. Azara had occasionally used the instrument, since negligence caused just as much damage as carelessness, but it still amazed Rachel that it sounded almost as good as new. Maybe her nana had brought it with her when they visited…

Rachel shook her head and positioned her hands and fingers, allowing a smooth and gentle melody to fill the room for a few moments before it transformed, becoming flowing yet intense as each note rang out. It was strong and profound, persistent but not aggressive, dedicated yet humble; a song which characterized transcendence, and it was perfect fit for what she had learned as she hung out with her friends.

Garfield was stubborn, childish and sometimes annoying, but he was a good person; always wanting the best for those he cared for and insistent in seeing it happen. He was often playing negotiator when someone wanted to do something and she said no for whatever reason. Not that her reasons weren't any good, but she had spent too much effort on keeping them from knowing about her family and until she absolutely _had_ to, she wasn't planning on telling them anytime soon. Still, Garfield was the most insistent person she had ever met and even though it irritated her more often than not, it was one of his many endearing qualities. Maybe that was why she had such a hard time staying mad at him; he was always willing to make things right when he did something wrong.

A sharp ringtone interrupted her focus and the song abruptly faded. Setting the instrument aside, Rachel found herself at a loss as she read the random text the blonde-haired boy had sent her before she shook her head in amusement. She still had majority of the melody memorized and he hadn't purposely interrupted her, so she had no reason to be upset with him. This time anyway. She began typing her reply when a call came through, alarm and distress filling her once she recognized the name.

She wasn't supposed to receive a call for another two weeks, and Rachel was sure she hadn't gotten the dates confused. Part of her wanted to shut the device off and ignore it, but she knew that would only result in more unwanted anxiety. She stared at the screen for a moment longer before accepting the call.

"Rachel Roth speaking,"

"Miss. Roth," The woman greeted in an unfeeling tone, "Your father would like to arrange a meeting with you."

* * *

***Oedipus the King. Good book, actually.  
**The scene from the moment Cyborg starts talking about how Raven helps with his car was inspired by the episode "Car Trouble". Raven is very wise and even though she doesn't do it often, she encourages her friends and picks them up when they're feeling down.  
***I'm not making up treats, there actually are some pastries made with mustard. Google it, some actually sound pretty good, and I'm not a fan of mustard haha.  
****This mini-story was inspired by the episode "Switched".  
In my mind, only a few weeks has passed since Raven first showed up last chapter. That's why BB still doesn't know much about her other than now to make her mad then find a way to get out of trouble.  
If you're a Doom Patrol fan, well I don't know very much about them, only what I research so I'm willing to hear if I got at least a little of Rita's character right.  
Thanks again for the reviews and remember, Constructive Criticism only!  
Take Care!**


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